lifefullyinhabited

Is It Just Me?

Is it just me, or does this happen to you?  Every time I re-commit myself to a regular exercise routine, I get one or two good workouts under my belt, and then WHAM, I come down with a nasty head cold.

The only exercise possible then reaching for the tissue box, bicep curls with a mug of hot tea, and triceps pulling the covers back over my head.

By the time I feel better, the only workout I can do is all the work around the house that didn’t get done while I was sick.

The kitchen floor is sticky, the laundry is piled up, the dishes have their own zip code, and the refrigerator is almost empty.

Who needs a circuit of exercise machines?  I have it all right here called “clean the house”.

The trouble is, it doesn’t assuage the guilt like a good workout does.  Cleaning the house doesn’t make you feel like an athlete.  It doesn’t leave you with an endorphin high.  Washing someone else’s dirty clothes doesn’t give you the warm fuzzy good feeling, “yes, I’ve finally taken good care of myself ”  that comes from a good workout.

Workout for an hour, check it off the list and move on.

Cleaning the house never seems to end.

And after a miserable head cold, I am not sure I have the energy yet to do both.

Maybe I should just go back to bed!

    The summer is winding down.  Children are back in school.  My friends who work jobs in the real world can’t come out and play anymore.  Change is in the air.  This morning my porch thermometer is hovering near 45 degrees.  If you look carefully, many trees are already turning colors.  The corn stalks are dry, the flowers are wilting, the tomatos and beans are in their final glory.

    After a hot and steamy summer, the change in seasons is welcome.  Today will be a good day to plant some small magnolia trees that I bought on clearance a few weeks ago.  The cooler air will help them adjust and grow some roots before frost. 

     I always used to love everything about this change from summer to fall.  The crisp air, the cooler nights, the changing leaves.  This year, I have some mixed feelings.  I feel like life is moving on fast forward and I’m stuck on pause. 

     I never want to get stuck in a self-pity mode, so I’ll just call it a pause. 

     Some seasons of life have themes.  This summer, my theme was “acceptance”.   This fall, maybe my theme is “pause”.    Maybe if I call it something, I can turn it from self-pity to self-inspection.   Allow me to take a moment to pause.  To think.  To reflect.  To evaluate. 

     Today I will pause to consider the following:  even though I have not found a job in the real world (okay so I really haven’t even begun looking!) I have a “to do” list longer than my arm.  That’s quite enough evaluating for one day!

     Autumn can be a busy time for everyone, so I hope that no matter how busy or how empty your days may be that you can find time for a pause.  Take a moment to reflect.